


Karen Walker’s Solutions To Problems

by starsdontsleep



Category: Will & Grace
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, accidental confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 19:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15588708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsdontsleep/pseuds/starsdontsleep
Summary: Jack and Will have spent far too long single and ignoring the obvious. Karen is fed up with them and plans to do something about them getting together.





	Karen Walker’s Solutions To Problems

**Author's Note:**

> So, after writing a sort of unrequited angst Will/Jack, I need to work out some happy. Karen was surprisingly easier to write than Will or Jack, ironically. Hopefully, I did them all justice. 
> 
> This is an unspecified setting, I haven't seen the later seasons, just needed to get this pairing out of my head after binge-watching the earlier stuff.

_“Wilma, get your big fat butt in there.”_

_“What? Karen! Why? Stop shoving me!”_

_“This is for your own good! Now if you want to keep doing work for Walker Inc you’re going to stay in there and keep your mouth shut until I say you can talk again.”_

_“Karen-”_

_“A-bu-bu-bu-buh! Not a word or I’ll have Rosario cut of the only part of you a man is going to want!”_

* * *

Jack was looking in the mirror, fixing his hair and wondering when Karen was growing to grow bored and want to take him on a shopping spree. Perhaps he could talk to her about getting some highlights; he was sure he would look even more stunning with them.

It was as he was contemplating how many he should get that Karen started to talk. “Jackie, sweetie, you’ve got to do something about this Will problem.”

“Will problem?” Jack looked around Grace’s studio as if searching for Will or the mentioned dilemma. “What problem? Did his fat explode all over the place and make him even more uglier than before?”

He followed it up with a dramatic giggle, coming forward and half leaning over Karen’s desk as he laughed.

“What? Honey, no.” Karen waved her nail file at him, but she was smiling. “Although,” she glanced around, her expression turning to a grimace. “I’m not sure what could make this place any worse even if something did explode all over it.” They quickly nodded at each other, commiserating before Karen waved her file again. “But no, poodle, I’m talking about Wilma. You’ve got to stop wasting time and finally walk that boy down the aisle already!”

Jack placed his hands dramatically on his chest. His face displayed shock, but inside his heart was racing. “Moi? Karen, I may be his coach on all things queer, but I certainly ain’t giving his balding figure away.” He paused, staring thoughtfully at the roof. “Although, I would look even prettier standing beside him.”

“Sweetie,” Karen sounded almost patient as he glanced back at her. She was watching him with a sad little smile. “You don’t think you can fool me, do you, Jackie?” Jack’s smile faded and he found himself unable to hold her eyes. She just reached out and lightly patted his wrist. “That boy is never going to notice what’s in front of him unless you do something about it.”

Jack shook his head. “He’s not interested in me, Karen. He never has been,”

“Oh, you’re just underestimating yourself!” She stood up dramatically. “You just need to show him what’s on display! Strip down, jump in his bed and give him a whole new you to think about!” 

She finished by slapping his bum before semi-wobbling over to the mini-bar to pull out a new bottle of liquor.

“Kar,” Jack said, turning to watch her open the bottle. “I would jump in his bed quicker than Grace can make a bird’s nest out of her hair, but Will doesn’t want me. He never has.”

Karen made a noise of disbelief and disgust, making her way back to her desk and pouring herself a large glass of vodka. “Sweetie, that’s just silly.”

“It’s not silly, Karen,” he told her, an edge of frustration to his voice. “I made a move once and,” he grimaced, doing his best not to think about his rejected confession all those years ago, “that was it.”

“But honey that was _years_ ago. That big homo has been checking out your ass for months! Why, if he isn’t interested in you, I’ll...” she trailed off, thinking, “well, I don’t know.” She waved him off. “But that man is just as into you as you are into him.”

Jack’s smile was tight and he clasped his hands together, bending forward. “Karen, absolutely love you, couldn’t adore you more, but really, not taking your word on this.”

“Oh Lord,” Karen groaned under her breath, taking a large drink of alcohol. “Why on Earth not?

“Because...” Jack took in a deep breath. He knew it was far too close to a real confession, but he needed Karen to understand. “Because I don’t take chances on Will.” 

Karen blinked at him a few times. She then tilted her head, confusion on her face as she made a few gesture with her hands, trying to either confirm or illustrate his point to herself, and failing. It made Jack sigh and stare at the ceiling, trying to find another way to say it without _saying_ it.

“Okay, right, so, it’s because...”

Jack trailed off, but before he could come up with a reply, someone else was answering, “It’s because you’re in love with me.”

Jack stiffened before jerking his head around to look behind him. He found Will standing in the doorway of the swatch room of Grace’s studio. He was watching Jack with eyes that were filled with a soft realisation and it made Jack look away.

His mouth felt dry and his heart was sinking. It was a look far too similar to a decade ago, when he’d given a confession that had been rebuffed with a cruel joke that had broken his heart.

And now it was about to be broken again.

“Right, well, I’m off for the day,” Karen suddenly remarked, picking up her bag and her vodka. “God, helping you queers is a full time job.”

Jack glared at her, his expression filled with pure anger and betrayal but she already had her back to him and didn’t notice his glower.

“Jack,” the soft sound of his name made Jack want to run. He probably would have if Will’s warm, firm hand hadn’t come to lightly grip his arm, keeping him in place. Will was standing directly behind him; warm, strong and everything Jack wanted.

It made Jack close his eyes; there was no playing it off or running away this time. It didn’t mean he couldn’t try.

“Wow, that Karen, a real joker right,” his laugh was strained and nervous. “We sure fooled you, didn’t we, Will?”

“Jack,” Will said again, just as gentle. 

It was the past all over again.

“I already told Karen we’re just girlfriends. You and me, lovers?” He scoffed. “Yeah, right. I mean, as if it wasn’t obvious we were only...”

But Jack trailed off as Will shifted and his free hand came up to Jack’s chin, tilting his face until Jack was looking over his shoulder. Or he would have been, if he’d dared to open his eyes, but he didn’t, because as long as they were shut, he could pretend none of this was happening.

Jack’s throat felt constricted and he was swallowing thickly. His heart was racing and a cold sweat had formed on his hands. He didn’t know what to say, how to make it better or take back what he’d admitted, thinking he was alone with Karen.

The last thing Jack expected was to feel soft lips brushing his own. 

His eyes flew wide open and he found himself staring at Will; his eyes were closed and he was _kissing Jack_. Not for a gimmick or a joke or because he was drunk. He was just... kissing Jack, and Jack had waited what felt like forever for that moment.

He shifted into Will’s hold, he closed his eyes and he _kissed_ the other man. He grabbed onto the lapels of his suit, he pushed Will back against Grace’s table and he poured everything he had into the moment; into desiring, loving and needing this man.

Will’s hands just found his neck, holding him near and kissing him back. He gentled the kiss from the frantic attack Jack had forced on him, slowing it down but still letting it linger and last. When they finally pulled apart for air, Jack just rested his forehead against Will’s, breathing in the moment and trying to make it last.

“Jack.” He tensed at Will’s words, unable to help it, but he felt the other man’s fingers come to soothingly run through his hair. “You should have said something.”

“And be called the family pet again? Thanks, but no thanks, Will.”

Will grimaced. “Sorry. That wasn’t the best answer I could have given you.”

“Then give me a better one now,” Jack found himself whispering, his eyes falling closed as a part of him started praying fervently; _let him want me, let him love me, let him **date** me, please._

He felt Will twitch nervously, his fingers also stilled where they rested in Jack’s hair. “This could be a disaster, Jack,” Will told him. “You and I get on each other’s nerves enough as friends, let alone as boyfriends-”

“I wouldn’t be so bad,” Jack interrupted quietly. “If I knew I had your attention.”

“I- _Jack_ ,” Will sighed, but it was with fond exasperation. “Really? All this time, that was all it took?”

Jack barely resisted awkwardly shifting on his feet; the only reason he remained still was because otherwise he would have to move away from Will. 

When Jack didn’t answer him, Will sighed again and the hand in Jack's hair came around to cup Jack’s cheek. “Karen has spent the last three months trying to convince me to take you to bed. She thinks that will solve everything. But, she also thinks that I am not only a lawyer, but a bartender, a shop attendant, a customs officer and on one memorable occasion, a drag queen dressed up as her lawyer; meaning, me.”

“I wouldn’t be against that,” Jack hurried to insist, ignoring the rest to focus on the only part he cared about. He wasn’t about to waste a single chance with Will. “The taking me to bed part.”

Because while a single night with Will wasn’t what he wanted, Jack would still take it. Jack had already learned to take whatever Will would offer him and this was far above what he thought he’d ever get.

Will however just shook his head, but he was smiling. He also pulled them further apart so that they could better look at each other. “Why don’t we try that whole dating thing first, see if we have any luck at that, before we get to the bedroom part?”

Jack sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re saying you’ll date me?”

“Yeah,” Will answered, smiling the small, almost shy smile he gave to men he was interested in. The smile Jack had wished to be the focus of for years. It was something he never thought would ever be flashed at him and it made his heart race, it made him feel _giddy_ and like he wanted to faint. "I mean," Will continued. "Karen might be a lot of things, Cruella De Villa, being one, but, she's not wrong about me having spent the last few months thinking about you."

Jack managed to keep himself from dancing or shrieking with happiness, but only just; instead his fingers gripped Will’s suit even tighter. He didn't even get a complaint from the other man or a grimace. Jack stared into Will’s soft, affectionate brown eyes and Will stared right back at him, looking receptive and excited for the first time... ever.

Jack couldn’t believe it was happening, was certain it was a dream, but in order to make sure (or to just take advantage of it), he leaned back in and pressed his mouth to Will’s. When the other man kissed him back, Jack melted against him, feeling as if he was walking on air and as if all his wishes and hopes had finally come true.

**Author's Note:**

> Did my best to make Will true to character, but he's the one I struggle with the most. I like to believe Karen had bugged him for months until he got his head out of denial and worked out he loved Jack. Then instead of letting him freak out, Karen shoved them into confessionville. But this is pure self-indulgence anyway so, eh.


End file.
